Tiny lines appeared between her brows. “Darius, we’ve been over this. I had no right to put you in such a terrible position.”
His gaze faltered. He’d been so judgmental of her and of Meredith. Yet who was he to judge anyone when he was so clearly imperfect himself?
The defeat on Darius’s face was almost more than Olivia could stand. Didn’t he realize what a kind and caring person he was? That any woman or child would be proud to have him as a husband and father?
The waiter arrived then with their meals. He set the steaming plates down in front of them with a flourish.
Olivia inhaled the savory aroma of meat and spices, and her stomach growled. “This looks delicious.”
The waiter said something in Greek, which Darius answered, then he left them alone.
After several minutes of eating, Olivia gained the courage to ask the question weighing on her mind. “You never said how Selene died,” she said softly. “Was it an accident?”
His features hardened, and a nerve pulsed in his jaw. “No, it was a deliberate act. Selene and her parents were killed simply because they were Greek. A group of rioters set their store on fire. They were trapped in the back, and the firefighters were too late to save them.”
She gasped. “How horrible.” She couldn’t imagine losing someone that way. How did one go on after such a senseless act of violence?
“The only consolation was that Sofia wasn’t with them that day. Sometimes Selene took her to the store.”
“Thank God.” She blinked hard and took a swallow of water. “You must have been devastated.”
“I was. I could barely function for almost a year. And for a long time after that, I tried to shield Sofia from every part of her heritage, determined that she would never suffer such hatred because she was Greek.” He set down his knife. “That’s part of the reason why I wanted to marry Meredith—to give Sofia a Canadian stepmother as well as the security associated with the Cheeseman name. I’m ashamed at how petty that sounds now.”
She studied him for several seconds. Part of her was relieved that he hadn’t been madly in love with Meredith and that he’d agreed to marry her for more practical reasons.
“I can understand how you felt,” she said. “For a while, I was embarrassed about my heritage too, ashamed that my father was so hostile toward Rory simply because he wasn’t Italian. Yet Rory wasn’t as accepting of my culture as I would have liked, and if we had ended up together after the war, I don’t know if our relationship would have survived.” She’d never told that to anyone, barely acknowledging it to herself.
“That’s brave to admit.”
She gave a small shrug. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about our relationship and to view things in a more realistic light.”
He looked as though he wanted to say something more, but instead he picked up a small dessert menu. “This conversation has gotten far too serious. Would you like some dessert? Baklava is a famous Greek delicacy.”
She sat back with a sigh. “I’d love to, but I don’t think I could eat another bite.”
“That’s all right. When you come to Sofia’s birthday, you can try my mother’s.” He grinned. “I may be biased, but I think hers is the best.”
Olivia laughed. “I’ll remember that.”
Darius motioned for the waiter, spoke to him in Greek, and the man returned with the bill. After Darius paid it, he looked over at her. “How would you feel about an after-dinner stroll?” he asked. “There’s a pretty park nearby where we could walk off our meal.”
She nodded, mesmerized by the glow the candlelight cast over his cheekbones. “I’d like that very much.”
Only a short car ride away, Riverdale Park was just as pretty as Darius had described. In the early evening, with the sun just beginning its descent, a golden aura surrounded the tops of the trees, spreading down to the paths that wound through the grassy areas. Several families were finishing up picnics on the rolling lawns, while some adults played ball with the children. The path ahead was crowded with several couples who’d apparently had the same idea for an after-dinner stroll.
Olivia breathed in the smells of fresh air and newly mown grass and released a contented sigh. “It’s lovely,” she said. “Like an oasis of greenery within the city.”
“That’s a perfect description,” Darius said. “There’s even a full-fledged zoo at one end of the park. I’ve taken Sofia a couple of times. Her favorite is the elephant.” He chuckled.
“Are you serious? There’s an elephant?”
“There is. Along with lions, monkeys, and alligators.” Darius reached for her hand. “Come on, I want to show you a spot I love.”
As they increased their pace slightly, he kept her hand tucked in his. He led her down a path away from the main park, where Olivia thought she heard the gentle gurgle of water.
“That’s the Don River ahead,” Darius said as he guided her over to what looked like a bridge. “Sounds like the water’s moving fairly quick tonight.”
He tugged her forward, but she hesitated. “I don’t really like heights.”
“It’s not that bad, I promise. Besides, you can hold on to me if it makes you feel better.” He grinned, then gave her a brazen wink.
Her stomach gave a slow roll as she followed him, and she was not sure if it was due to the wink or the height.
When they reached the middle of the bridge, he stopped at the railing. “You don’t have to look down. Just look out. The view is magnificent.”
He was right. Ahead of them, the river stretched as far as she could see, winding its way through the lush valley.
Darius’s arm came around her shoulder, and heat from his body
